Means for forming oil-cakes



B.A.TRACE.

MEANSFOR FoRMlNG olL CAKES.

I APRLICATIONflLED JAN. 7, |918.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

R. A. TRACE.

MEANS FOR FoRMlNG olL cAKEs. APPLICATIONl FILED JAN-7,1918.

R. A.. TRACE.

MEANS FOR FORMING olL cAKEs.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7,. 1918.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Tm-QJ UNliE STATES ATENT OFFCE.

RUSSELL A. TRACE, OF DAYTON, GEIQ, ASSEGNQR TQ BUCKEYE RGN AND BR-SS VJORKS,

on DAYTON, onro, .e oonronarroiv or onto.

Original application filed July 30, 1917, Serial No. 183,430.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

3ateiitcd Apr. G, 192i).

Divided and this application led January 7,

1918. Serial No. 210,744.

.T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, RUSSELL A. TRACE, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Forming ril-Cakes, oit which the following` is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

rl`his invention relates to means for forming oil cakes, and its principal object is to improve the operating mechanism for the charge box and the construction or' the c iai-ge box itself.

ln forming oil cakes the meal is usually dropped from a cooker into a charge box which is then moved so as to convey its charge to the press which forms the cakes. The present invention provides an improved mechanism Jfor moving the charge box, the construction being such that a single lever may control the entire movement of the charge box, the return movement of the box being entirely automatic.

An additional object is to provide a construction whereby the operator is not required to lay the usual press cloth over the mdd box et the press, but on the other hand the press cloth is carried by an element of the charge box and the construction is such that movement of the b x to carry its charge of meal into the mold box of the press will draw the press cloth smoothly over the b0ttom of the mold box and on the return movement of the charge box the press cloth will he automatically drawn smoothly over the meal.

This application is a division of a prior application, Serial No. 183,430, iiled July 30, 1917.

ln the accompanying` drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the charge box and its operating mechanism showing the parts in normal position between operations;

Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation, but showing the charge box advanced into the press ready to deposit its charge of mealin the mold box;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view oi the mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. di is a detail view` mostly in section,

showing the hydraulic cylinder which operates the charge box and valve mechanism controlling the movement of the piston in this cylinder.

Referring first to Fig. 1 it will be under" stood that the inc-al is brought to the machine from a tempering or cooking kettle which is not shown, it being no part ot the invention.

From the kettle the meal is deposited in a hopper 1 which is directly over the charge box or conveyer 2. hydraulic cylinder 3 serves 'to move the charge box from the position oit' Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2. Valve mechanism l controls the movement of the piston in cylinder 3 and a handle 5 serves to operate the valve mechanism.

The charge box operating mechanism as a whole is carried on a frame 11 having the hydraulic cylinder 3 at one end and the rharge box 2f at its other end. T he charge box is provided with an upper apron 12 fast to and moving with the box, this apron passing directly under the hopper 1 and preventing escape of meal therefrom except when the charge box is under the hopper. As usual the charge box has sides and ends, but no top or bottom and what is in effect a bottom is provided by a second lower apron 13 moving frictionally with the charge box through part oi the movement of the latter. This apron is carried by rollers 'll and arms 15, the latter having` circular extensions 17 at their upl er ends and being pivoted on pins 16. Comparing Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the movement of the charge box carries the apron 13 with it until the arms 15 engage a projecting end oi' the mold box 8, whereupon the apron 13 stops though the charge box may continue its movement. To insure the proper movement of the apron 13 it is provided with a depending bracket 18 from which links 19 extend to the pivoted arms 15. These links compel the apron 13 and the arms 15 to move together. The return of the charge box to the position ot Fig. 1 also restores the apron 13 to its normal position and to make certain that this return of the apron is properly made it is provided at its left hand end with a lug or projection 2O positioned to be engaged by the end 541 of the charge boX, whereby the apron is positively returned to its 'normal position.

To operate the charge box the hydraulic cylinder 3 is provided with a piston 24, as shown in Fig. it, this piston being carried by a rod 25 which passes entirely through the charge box 2. Une end ot the cylinder 3 maybe provided With a stuliing box 26 and it is pierced near its opposite ends for pipes 27 and 28 to permit entrance of the liquid employed. These pipes are both connected to the valve mechanism e. The liquid 'under pressure enters the valve 4 through a port 30 and is discharged therefrom through a port 31. n

The valve'stem 29 is provided with a cut v aivay portion-33 and the4 entrance and exit ports and 31 may have enlarged portions 32 and 35 so as't permit the passage of the liquid. A chamber 34 at the point Where the pipe 28 enters the valve is connected With the chamber 35 by the cut away portion SS.

In vthe position ot' the parts shown in Fig. l the pipe 28 and the exit pipe 31 are connected by the cut"a.\va},f portion and the passage from entrance port 30 to pipe 2T is open. ylVhen the valif'e stem 29 is moved to the right in this iigure it e'ill'connect he entrance port 30 to the pipe 28 and then movement ot' the piston and piston roc` 25 occurs. lt Will be observed that the con'- struction is such that pipe 2.7 is always open to the liquid pressure 'from Yentrance port '30, but piston 2i is a diit'erential piston and the operation oi the valvemechanism Will be obvious. A Y Y To actuate the valve 4- the handle 5 shown in Figxlythis being pivoted on a pin l-1 carried by the trame 1i and having a depending arm 42 ending' in the disks i3 on opposite sides et the valve stein 29 and moving between collars Llll around the valve stem. 'An extension 415 ot the handle 5 has a notch therein arranged to be engaged by a. trip lever i@ which pivoted on the machine frame by a pin el? andis provided ivih 1 a spring 48 tending to move it to latching position.

.eleva-ted and thereby causing liquid under Vapron 12. is providedV with atlangel 53 hav' .pin .51.

' When the handle 5 is elevated `from the position of Fig. i to that or' Figz2 the latch l() is moved over the handle extension -l-5 byfits spring a8, thus retaining the lever 5 pressure to passtarough pipe 28 to the lett .of-piston 2i inFig.V Ll. Y A

. To release the handle theV charge box ing a slot-52 in which rides an adjustable As the charge box moves to the right the pin 5l will finally engage the i hand end of lever #h3 Tand dcpressitthu, .eleasing-thehandle lever 5 and permitting its Vreturntoitheposition 'of Fig. l. This conthe box and the right hand Vend thereof7 theV connection permitting a slight relative movement oi the piston rod relative to the charge box. The end -l of the charge box carries a `nut 57 and slightly spaced aivay from this is a colla-r 56 fast on the piston rod 25. On the right hand end of the piston rod is a nut 59 and slightly spaced aivay from this is a collar 5S. When the pistou rod 2eenioves to the right in Fig. l the iirst element of its movement is occupied in tal;-

.ing up the lost motion between collar 5G and nut 57 and only ai'ter this is taken .up does the charge box start to move. As seen in Fig. 2 the collar'S is spaced somewhat awvay from the end of the charge box and the return movement of piston rod 25 must take up this slight lost motion before return movement of the charge box begins. This lost motion has to .do With the placing of the press cloth as will be later explained.

Carried on the side et the charge box is a bracket 60 anda rod 6l passes through tl e end of this bracket entirely across the 'front end of the charge box. The press clothr62 is adapted to be placed over this rod 61 and is held in positionfas the charge box Ymoves vby azspring arm 63. This arniis carriedV on a pinv Gel on the charge box and it surrounds piston rod 25 Ybetween collars 5S and 59. `When the piston rod moves to the right in Fig. l the first element of'its movement permits the spring linger 63Y to move tc the right against the press cloth, as indicated in F ig. 2, the spring pressure serving to carry thepress cloth with the rod 6l into the press. v

Itis, of course, desired that'the pre cloth shall be laid smoothly across the bettom oi the mold box 8 and to this engl the charge box has two dependingplates 65 pivoted on a pin Gt at the opposite sides of the charge box. Theseplates or arms abut against flanges 66 carried by the apron '13 and the'arms 65 are Vprevent-ed from Vrotating in a clockwise direction Vfrom the position 'oitrFig l in any desiredmanner, as, forex ample, by projections from pin 6i. -Movelmentoi' these arinsG Vin the opposite or counterclockwise vdirectionis permitted. lAs the Vcharge box moves to the .right from the `position 1 ot iFig. l the' depending v arms 65 engage the press cloth and carry it smoothly over themold box'bottom,. as shown in Fig. -Froi'n this gure-it will be seen that the lower ends of arnis G5 are at such a height as justto clear the bottonrof the mold box S.

=W'hen the charge box begins its return movementk from' the position of'F ig. 2 theV collar 59 rst engages the spring'iingers 63 and restores them tothe;pesition ofFig. l, thus releasing thepress cloth 62. Or" course, the .veightofthe meal holds therpress cloth on the mol-:l box S an'dtherefore thereturn movement of the charge'box'causestherod (3l to draw tho press cloth smoothly over the meal. When the charge box reaches the normal position, as shown in Fig. l, the workman may take the end of the press cloth at the left in 2 and told it smoothly over the remaining portion of the meal. Thus, the operation or the machine automatically places the press cloth in proper position on the press and folds one end or' it over the meal. 1t is necessary for the workman to fold the remaining` end only over the meal, whereupon the operation ot the press may take place.

lllhile l. have lshown and described certain features as constituting` my invention, it will loe understood that parts have been shown tor purposes ot' illustration only, and that 1 do not desire to ,be limited to suoli details, as ob rions modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described'my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latent, is

l. In a cake iormer, the combination,witli means for dumping a predetermined quantity o1E meal, ot a carrier therefor, a cloth on said carrier adapted to receive said* meal, a charge box for transportingsaid meal to said cloth in the mold box of a press, and a cloth holder for drawing said cloth over the race of said meal.

Q. 1n a cake former, the combinatiom'with conveye'rtorcarryingmeal. to a mold box,

oi a press cloth holder' on said conveyer acting to draw said cloth over the meal on the return of said conveyer.

3. ln a cane former, the combination, with a conveyer for carrying meal to a mold box,

devices for holding` a press cloth on said conveyer, said devices acting' to draw the cloth under the meal in the mold box Von the torward movement of the conveyor and to draw the cloth over the meal on the return movement of the conveyor.

ln a calre former, the combination. with a conveyer for carrying meal to a mold box, of a press cloth holder for detachably holding a cloth on said conveyer, and ,a cloth releaser actuated as the conveyer is returned.

In a cairo tormer, the combination, with means to admit a predetermined quantity of meal from a hopper onto a conveyor, a seal 'for said hopper acting to prevent further exit ot the meal., a charge box to convey said meal onto a cloth in a mold box, and a cloth holder acting to fold said cloth over the top of said meal on the return of said conveyer. Y

6. In cake former, the combination, with means to admit a quantity of meal from a hopper onto a conveyer, of a seal for said hopper acting to prevent further exit ot the meal, a hydraulic pump for advancing the conveyor to a mold box, a press cloth holder adapted to draw the cloth across the bottom of said mold box with the meal thereon, the cloth serving to close the open side or' said mold box in the direction or the entrance of the meal, tripping mechanism on said con veyer acting to reverse said hydraulic actuating means, thereby causing said conveyer to move in the opposite direction to its initial position.

7. ln a cake former, t ie combinatiomwith a meal support upon which meal falls from a hopper, a seal to close the mouth of said hopper to prevent the further exit of meal, a cloth holder acting to hold a cloth positively in position while said meal is conveyed to the mold box and to draw it over the top of the meal upon the return of the conveyer, hydraulic means for actuating` the conveyer, and connections on said meal support to effect the reversal of the direction or movement of said hydraulic means.

8. 1n a cake former, the combination, with a conveyor upon which meal falls from a hopper, of a seal to prevent the exit of meal from said hopper when said conveyor has received its appropriate amount or' meal, hy-

draulic means for moving said conveyer to the edge of a mold box, thus forming one wall of said mold box by the end of the conveyor, adapted to move a cloth across said mold box, means to reverse the direction of said conveyer, whereby it and said cloth holder are returned to their initial positions, said cloth being thereby folded over the top of said meal and the mouth of said hopper exposed to permit the deposit of an additional quantity of meal.

9. 1n a cake former, the combination, with a carriage with a conveyor traveling thereon adapted to move to the edge of a mold box and close one side ot said mold box. of' a clamp for a cloth supported by said conveyer, said clamp adapted to carry said cloth to the farther edge of said mold box and `turn said cloth over the top of said meal, hydraulic means for advancing said conveyer and cloth holder in one direction, means to reverse the direction of movement ot said hydraulic means to return said conveyer and said cloth holder to their initial positions, said hydraulic mea-ns consisting of a cylinder with a differential piston therein, the greater area of liquid pressure being on the side of said piston more distant from the conveyor.

10. In a cake former, the combination, with means for conveying meal to a mold box or a press, of a cloth holder adapted to fold a cloth upon which Said meal rests over the top or said meal, hydraulic means for actuating'said conveyor in one direction, means for reversing said movement and returning said conveyor in the other direction, consisting of a differential piston connected to said conveyor adapted to present its larger area to the 'thrust of the liquid to move said con- `veyer in theY first direction vand to exhaust the liquidfrom the side of the larger area.V of said piston for movement in the other vv"direction "when the liquid acts [upon the lmnaller diameter of said piston to eiiect such v return.

11. In a cake former, the combination, with a conveyer having aY cross bar over lwhich a press cloth may be. placed, a cloth holder controlled by movement of said conlveyer 'for holding the cloth against said cross bar, whereby the movement of said'conveyer will draw the press cloth over a mold box with the meal resting on thercloth, said liquidto said cylinder, of a cross bar carried by said conveyer on which a press cloth may be placed, spring fingers for holding saidpress cloth on saidV crossV bar, and connections controlled by movement or' said conveyer, V*for engaging said spring fingers with said cross bar Vduring the outward movement and disengaging said fingers from said cross bar Vduring the return movement A of said 4conveyer,whereby the .press cloth is foldedoverthe charge of meal in the mold box. A

13. In a cake former, the combination, witha conveyer and an apron constituting the bottom of said conveyer, a roller and a pivoted arm on which said'apron is carried,

meansto move'said conveyer to carry a charge of meal into a mold box, said movement carrying the apron bodily and frictionally with said conveyer until said pivotedl arm engages a wall of said mold box, said `apron having a projection engaging said conveyer to return 'said apron positively to its normal position.

14. In 'a cake former, the combination, with a charge boxhaving yend plates, of a driving rodr for said box passing loosely through both said end plates, lost motion connections. whereby said rod drives said conveyer, and a cross bar carried by said conveyer and on whichy a press cloth may be placed, said lost motion connections permitting a relative motion between said driving rod' and said charge Vbox, wherebyl to hold or release the press cloth on said cross rod. Y

15. In a cake former, thev combination, with means to admit a predetermined quantity of meal from ahopper onto a conveyer,

. a seal for said hopperacting to prevent further exit of the meal, a charge box to convey said meal onto a cloth in a mold box, a cloth smoother acting to spread the cloth in the charge box inthe outward movement of the conveyer, and a cloth holder acting to fold said cloth over thetop of said meal on the .return of said 'conveyen 16. Ina cake former, the combination, with means toY admit a predetermined quantity of meal from a hopper onto a cOnVeyer, aV seal for said hopperacting to prevent further exit of the meal, a c harge box to convey said meal onto a cloth in a mold box, a pluralityof plates pivoted on the conveyer and acting to spread the cloth in the charge box in the voutward movement of the conveyer, and a clothfholder acting to fold said cloth overthe top of said meal on the return of said conveyer.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

- RUSSELL A. TRACE. 

